CHAPTER 121: CHAPTER 121 - TREASURES

That night, Lucien finally found time to visit the brainwashed group.

The moment he arrived, they greeted him with warmth and enthusiasm.

Lucien wasted no time.

He began telling them everything that had transpired earlier. As his story unfolded and reached its climax, sharp gasps escaped their lips.

Their faces shifted through a storm of emotions. Indignation. Fury. Gratitude.

For many of them, the ones who had perished under Coalheart were not faceless people but companions, friends... even family.

They had braced themselves for this truth but hearing it spoken aloud still struck like a blade to the heart.

Then their eyes turned to Lucien.

The boy before them was not bound to them by blood nor by obligation... yet he had already done more for them than anyone else. In the same day he had taken them in, Lucien had eased a burden they had carried.

’If he is not someone worthy to follow... then who is?’

They felt the sincerity in him especially when he entrusted Noctra’s fate to their hands. By the time his story ended, their eyes shimmered.

Some bowed low. Others fell to their knees.

Fortunate. That was how they felt. Fortunate that Lucien was not like the nobles they had once cursed.

Lucien respected them.

Lucien never judged them.

Lucien never looked down on them.

He treated them as his own people.

And in that moment, a silent vow took root in their hearts. Loyalty to the boy who had given them hope.

Not only because of what Lucien had done for them but also because they had fallen in love with the place itself.

Some among them... seasoned travelers and those who had seen more of the world, realized just how rare this territory was.

Small, yes, but alive. Activity never ceased. There was always something happening and always something to do.

Here, no one went hungry.

Here, no one was treated as worthless.

Here, everyone mattered.

The people were generous. Each has talent that made them unique. In this land, there was no such thing as an "ordinary" person.

And witnessing this, they could only wonder—

’Who wouldn’t fall in love with such a place?’

Yet above all, what stood out most was the young lord who had built this paradise.

As the night grew late, Lucien bid them goodnight. Their eyes grew heavy but their hearts were brighter than ever.

•••

Lucien returned to his room.

’Now... time to check the drops.’

Closing his eyes, he entered his divine energy core and transferred the day’s spoils inside. The loot gathered from the soldiers his pets had slain.

***

Soldier Drops

Common:

• Bandages - gradually heal wounds

• Standard rations - effective in satiating hunger during prolonged battles

• All purpose Tool - versatile tool designed to handle a wide range of task

Uncommon:

• Military Supply Kit - kit containing essential tools and materials for survival

• Whistle - can coordinate troops or lure and distract enemies

• Stamina draught - grants a small boost to stamina

Rare:

• Equipments - swords, armor, crossbows

• Elemental Talismans - fireball, ice needle, earth bullet, wind blade

• Telescope - used to spot distant enemies or terrain features. Can see through illusions or barriers

Epic:

• Strategy Manual - a manual brimming with battle tactics, granting foresight in combats and improving coordination and leadership

***

Lucien studied the list. He nodded in satisfaction.

Though the haul was limited in quantity, each item had its value. He made careful notes, already planning how best to use them.

His gaze lingered on the Epic Drop.

The Strategy Manual.

Opening it, he skimmed through the first pages. His eyes widened as he read line after line of refined tactics and ingenious formations.

"This... these are brilliant," he whispered. "Perfect strategies for large-scale battles."

Each entry seemed to ignite new ideas in his mind. It contains vivid images of formation and how soldiers could fight in perfect unison. The potential was staggering.

Lucien’s lips curled into a grin. "I’ll have Lukas study this and drill it into the troops. With these tactics... our forces will never falter even in war."

Satisfied, he secured the Strategy Manual in his INVENTORY.

He then sorted the remaining drops, arranging them neatly onto the vast shelves of his mini Earth. For a moment, he simply admired the growing collection.

And then...

Lucien blinked into an empty space and summoned something massive from his INVENTORY.

The Coalheart Mansion.

The moment it appeared, a surge of awareness flooded him. Within his divine energy core, he could sense everything.

Every shift of air. Every fluctuation. Every corner of the mansion itself. One thought and he knew it all.

That was when he felt it.

His eyes widened and his smile stretched.

"A treasury!"

Without hesitation, Lucien blinked inside.

What greeted him nearly made his knees weak.

His eyes practically turned into gold coins.

"Wow! I didn’t know the Coalhearts were this rich!"

Before him stretched a dazzling sight.

Mountains of gold coins stacked high.

Piles of jewels and raw gemstones glittering under faint light.

Rare materials neatly hoarded away.

Personal luxuries collected over decades.

It was wealth beyond reason.

And then—

Lucien froze.

"Gargoyle Rings! There are more of those things here?!"

He swallowed hard. Even from a distance, he could feel the faint miasma seeping out of them.

But inside his divine energy core, the corruption was weak. It was smothered by the overwhelming presence of divine energy. It couldn’t slither or spread.

Still, Lucien hesitated.

"Should I purify these things...?"

His gaze drifted to the Essence of Purity, now no larger than a pea. Just the sight of it made his heart ache.

He sighed. "I’m so sorry, my baby. I’ve overused you. But don’t worry. I’m not like the others. I won’t discard you just because you’ve been drained."

He cradled the crystal with uncharacteristic tenderness, speaking to it as though it were the most precious thing in the world.

And then.... an idea struck.

Lucien’s eyes widened and his heartbeat quickened.

’A certain item... it might just work.’

His lips curled into a grin as he reached into his INVENTORY.

"Let’s see if this will do the trick..."

A flat, thin slab appeared in his hands.

The Reset Rune Tablet.

The tablet pulsed with a soft glow. Intricate runes were etched across its surface like veins of light.

Lucien swallowed hard.

Carefully, he laid it face-up on the floor.

He sat cross-legged before it and placed the tiny Essence of Purity atop the slab.

Then... channeling his divine energy, he pushed it into the runes.

A sudden burst of light!

Waves of magic flared.

And then.... he saw it.

The Essence of Purity... it was growing.

Lucien’s eyes lit up. "It’s working!"

His heart thundered with excitement but the joy was short-lived.

The light flickered.

It weakened and then died out... leaving the crystal only slightly larger than before. The tablet cracked then dissolved into nothingness.

Lucien’s jaw dropped. "Crap! The Reset Rune Tablet was supposed to restore an item to its original condition! Why did it stop halfway?!"

Frustration burned across his face. He clenched his fist then froze mid-thought.

"Wait... could it be that the tablet didn’t have enough divine energy to finish?"

His expression shifted in an instant.

Lucien’s grin spread. He tried again.

The crystal grew once more.

"GAHAHAHA! I found the solution!"

Laughing like a madman, he repeated the process again and again until at last... the Essence of Purity had returned to its full glory.

Lucien held it up.

"What a broken item these drops are..." he muttered but the grin on his face made it clear... He wasn’t complaining in the slightest.

Now... he could purify anything without hesitation.

Lucien picked up one of the Gargoyle Rings. Its surface crawled with faint traces of miasma. He pressed the Essence of Purity against it.

A burst of light.

The foul energy evaporated instantly, leaving the ring’s stone sheen bare and untainted.

Lucien smirked. "Much better."

He raised a hand and cast INSPECT.

Ancient Gargoyle Ring

Description: A ring said to be forged from fragments of ancient gargoyle stone.

Use: Must be supplied with energy to awaken the dormant essence within.

Effect: Grants the wearer the ability to borrow powers from beyond.

Lucien blinked.

Before, the ring demanded blood as well as mana to awaken. Now, the blood price was gone.

And the effect...

"Borrow powers from beyond?" he muttered. "What powers? From where?"

The vagueness nagged at him like a riddle with no answer. His fingers drummed against the ring’s surface.

’Looks like I’ll have to experiment with these later...’

He gave the accessory another glance then wrinkled his nose.

"Bad design, though," he muttered with a shrug. "Not my style."

He tossed it onto the shelf with the rest of the loot.

•••

The next morning.

The officials and nobles awoke with a vigor they hadn’t felt in decades.

Their bodies felt light and their exhaustion melted away after a single night’s rest.

When the scent of breakfast reached them, their excitement grew. The food was exquisite. Every detail of Lootwell territory spoke of care and abundance.

After the meal, Lucien guided them back to the Crafting Division Base.

Elk was already waiting. Her eyes were bright despite the faint shadows beneath them. She looked exhausted but passion burned stronger than fatigue. With pride, she unveiled the garments she had completed overnight.

The hall filled with murmurs of awe.

The officials and nobles couldn’t stop praising the works.

The speed? Unbelievable.

The craftsmanship? Flawless.

The style? Unique yet regal.

Some officials were so impressed they nearly blurted out offers to steal her away for their own courts—

But one glance from Midas silenced them at once. None dared to speak further.

Instead, they showered Elk with rewards and promises.

Precious materials. Steady supplies. And even commissions for future works.

Elk’s hands trembled slightly as she accepted them. Lucien too felt satisfaction at seeing her talents recognized.

Conversations lingered but soon the time of parting drew near.

With nothing left to hold them, the officials and nobles could only bid their reluctant farewells.

Their eyes lingered on Lootwell. Clearly, they hope they could stay longer.

"Sigh... Thank you for your hospitality, Baron. We truly enjoyed our stay here. If possible, I would like to return someday with my family for a proper vacation," one of the officials said warmly.

The others quickly echoed the sentiment.

Edric and Maxim would be the ones to escort them back to the capital and preparations began immediately. Before departure, Lucien handed them a new batch of Masks of a Thousand Faces causing their eyes to gleam with excitement.

And before the others leave, he pressed a parting bundle into the their hands.

A selection of giant crops.

A few talisman.

Some coffee drops.

And even bottles of shampoo for the two disguised powerhouses.

The two powerhouse could only cough in embarrassment but they still accepted the shampoo almost instantly.

With final words of gratitude, the officials boarded the airship. The engines roared softly and soon they were nothing more than a silhouette in the sky.

Lucien exhaled and turned away.

"Time for serious business," he murmured.

His gaze hardened as he walked toward the brainwashed group.

It was time to lead them into his new territory.